Where to Stay in Cluj-Napoca
Before my visit to Cluj-Napoca, I did extensive research online on where to stay. I wanted a place that was centrally located, with free parking and free wi-fi. Let’s just say, that can often be easier said than done. I stumbled across a place called Hotel Transilvania which fit all of my prerequisites. And much like the movie franchise, this hotel apparently had a connection to Dracula himself.
Hotel Transilvania is the oldest hotel in Cluj-Napoca and it is located on the oldest street in the city. Throughout the years, the hotel changed names several times. During the Middle Ages, it was referred to as “The Queen of England Inn”.
In Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, the main character spends his first night in Transilvania at the Royal Hotel of Cluj-Napoca. Historians believe that Stoker was in fact referring to “The Queen of England Inn” since there were no other hotels with a royal connection.
Today, the owners of Hotel Transilvania want to capitalize on this information and are planning on building a suite called the Bram Stoker. But for my visit, I decided to opt for the Junior Suite.
I’ll be perfectly honest, after reading the description of the hotel and the great reviews online, I was expecting something better. After parking the rental car in the back lot, I walked through the historic hotel courtyard and headed for the reception desk.
The staff members at Hotel Transilvania were not the friendliest I have encountered and they seemed to want to get the process over with as quick as possible. Which was fine by me, since all I wanted was a hot shower after my 5 hour drive.
When I had my key in hand, I walked upstairs and through a somewhat frightening hallway to find my Junior Suite. After opening the door, I was greeted by a room that looked like the perfect match for a character out of Bram Stoker’s novel.
A little dreary. A little cozy. I wasn’t impressed but I wasn’t necessarily disappointed either. I set my things down on the table and gave myself a quick tour of the room.
Upon first glance, I noticed the old pictures of Cluj on the walls – a quick history lesson? The living room and bedroom had wooden floors and yellow walls. The furnishings were somewhat retro but comfortable nonetheless. The bathroom, although functional, wasn’t the best looking. One of the lights was burnt out and the drain in the middle of the floor didn’t smell all that great. Everything was quite clean and it looked like the perfect place to stay for one night.
After exploring the city for a couple hours, I came back to the room and was surprised at how quiet the hotel was. Almost too quiet. The hotel has such a rich history, I couldn’t help but imagine what must of been going on in this same room hundreds of years ago. And that’s always scary to think about right before you go to bed!
In conclusion, if you are in need of a place to simply rest your head for one or two evenings whilst in Cluj-Napoca then the Hotel Transilvania might be a good option for you. There is free private parking, free decent wi-fi, and free breakfast. Rooms range in price from 180Lei to 250Lei.
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Things to Do in Cluj-Napoca
